Stores container



Jill? 15, 1969 N. J. MITCHELL ETAL 3,455,480

STORES CONTAINER Filed July 24, 1967 a Sheets-Sheet 1 July 15, 1969 N.J. MITCHELL ET AL STORES CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1967United States Patent 3,455,480 STORES CONTAINER Norman John Mitchell, 4Grand Parade, Brighton-le- Sands, New South Wales, Australia, andAlexander George Mitchell, 29 Craigholm St., Sylvania Heights, New SouthWales, Australia Filed July 24, 1967, Ser. No. 655,577

Claims priority, application Australia, Aug. 1, 1966,

Int. Cl. B65d 21/02, 21/00 US. Cl. 22023.4 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This invention relates to a stores container with joiningmeans along its edges which means enable several containers to befastened together. The preferred joining means comprise under and overloops, the loops on one container mating with loops on the adjacentcontainer, and a retaining pin is inserted in the mated loops. In onearrangement the edges of the containers are beveled and two rows ofspaced under and over loops are attached along each edge. Whencontainers are joined together there are four rows of loops at adjacentedges. One row from adjacent edges are mated and the other two arejoined by a reinforcing strip which is retained by pins through theloops.

This invention relates to a container adapted for carrying or storingstores.

This invention in its broadest form comprises a stores container havingjoining means along at least one Of its edges said joining means beingorientated and adapted for joining the container with containers havingsimilar such joining means.

A preferred form of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one container;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of an edge of the containershown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view in section through the corners oftwo joined containers;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a series of containers joined to forma boat, and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a series of containers joined to forma storage building.

The invention is particularly concerned with providing a container 6 forcarrying military or similar stores or goods which may be liquid or drygoods. The containers 6 are adapted to have many uses both whilecarrying goods and on reaching their destination and being unloaded. Oneof the preferred features of the invention that enables the adaptabilityto various uses is the provision of simple attachment means along one ormore sides or edges 7 of the containers 6. The container 6 may be of anysuitable size or shape. One convenient form is two metres long by twometres wide by two metres deep, i.e., a cube. This size and shape hasmany advantages. For example a person can stand and lie down in it, andit permits easy calculation of storage or transport space.

The sides, top and bottom may all be made from two superimposedcorrugated sheets 8 and 9 with the corrugations running at right anglesto each other. The sheets 8 and 9 may have deep drawn ribs and blankpressed sections for cutting out vents 10, doors 11 or windows, or forfitting screwed plugs. The door 11 may be of any suitable shape. It maybe closed on a gasket and may be clamped shut, padlocked and sealed. Itmay be padlocked in an unlocked position but may be retained from insideby loops and a pin (not shown) or similar means. The

3,455,480 Patented July 15, 1969 "ice pressed steel sheets 8 and 9 maybe reinforced round their edges by any suitable means such as a pressedsteel section 12 welded thereto.

To fabricate the container 6 the six sides may be assembled in a jig andfusion-welded together into a watertight box. One or more (usually alltwelve) of the edges 7 of the container 6 have a joining section 12welded or otherwise attached thereto. This joining section 12 maycomprise spaced under and over loops 13. These enable the containers 6to be quickly clipped together. The arrangement is such that a container6 may have other containers attached thereto on any number of its sides.The loops are held together by clipping pins 14.

The finished container 6 may be dip phosphated then dip painted or theymay be cadmium or zinc plated then dip painted. The container may alsobe made from aluminium or any other suitable material.

Usually for storage and carrying purposes the containers have one door11 but they may be made with more than one door if the end purpose ofthe container should require it.

Thus the container 6 of the invention may be hermetically sealed andwatertight and a number of containers 6 may be quickly and easilyclipped together.

In one form of the invention the containers are beveled at each edge 7.Each joining section has two sets of spaced under and over loops 13.When joining two containers 6 together the sides are placed together andalong each edge the under and over clips 13 of one container mate 6 withthe under and over clips of the other container. A clipping pin 14 isslipped down inside the clips 13 to hold the containers 6 together. Aclipping pin 14 may be inserted along all four adjacent edges 7.

The above arrangement leaves two of the sets of under and over clips 13Aas in FIGURE 3 free at each joining edge. These may be joined by areinforcing strip 15 with clips 16 along each edge to mate with the twosets of clips 13A, one on each container 6 when the reinforcing strip 15is put in place clipping pins 14 are inserted. This arrangement givesadded strength to the joins and it makes a more even surface when thejoined containers are required for walking on or for transport.

A brief resume will now be given of accessories usable with thecontainers and also of various auxiliary uses to which the containersmay be put.

By way of accessories, the following are envisaged.

Foam plastic for packaging or filotation purposes shaped in eitherblocks or bottles (usable for other purposes) or sheets; clip-onexpandable wheels, tow-bars, plastic windows, insect screens, shelvingwhich may be used to separate stores during transportation or as baifiesfor fluids, lifting slings, pallets, bollards and fairlead, ring bolts,armour bridge decking, T-clamps and heavy hinges.

The container may be used for various operations related to storesdepots.

The containers may be stacked in the open and one upon the other; theymay be moved by fork-lifts or cranes and the like.

This method of containerizing a large section of the Armed Services orother institutions, lends itself to computer control of stores, theirmovement or make-up and store replacement after destruction, loss oruse. All containers may have their numbers painted on all six sides andstamped into the metal on one side. Everything handled in the bulkcontainers is by cranes or forklifts and the manpower required isreduced. It eliminates the requirement for local labour in handlingstores and eliminates most thieving and bad security. The seals oncontainers can be checked at every shipment point.

A large percentage of stores may be dispersed in the open. They arereasonably secure against theft and this can be enhanced by locking orclipping several containers together which makes their removaldifficult.

The containers can be off-loaded from ships into harbours and anchoredofi-shore until required. It wheels and tow-bar are fitted beforedropping into the water the containers can be floated and drawn to shorefor their destination. The containers may be carried as deck cargo, theymay be clipped together or used singularly for storing dieseline, petrolor water in the sea, in rivers or on the land.

They are adaptable for conversion to accommodation means, work-shops orquarters may be formed. Benches may be fixed to the sides of thecontainers to form bunks. Other uses would be temporary hospitals,native accommodation or jails.

All the units of this system make the ready supply of usable material inthe field. The containers allow an army to set up camps and bases in theshortest time and if necessary to evacuate very quickly. As material maybe left in the containers in the open it is only necessary to unpack thematerial and goods required at the moment. The containers are alsousable as atomic fall-out shelters, bridge foundations, kitchencontainers, refrigerator containers and generator containers. Thecontainers are adaptable to almost any purpose as they may he trucked,floated or drawn.

The containers have many uses as tanks. With the door uppermost thecontainers are suitable for water tanks and they are adaptable forcombining to make larger tanks. They are usable for many other liquidcontaining purposes, for example, spray bar tanks for road making, watertreatment tanks, etc.

The containers are adaptable for the formation of water craft forharbours and rivers.

Any size lighter can be built from the containers, separate tanks allowseparation of different fuels. These lighters may be selfpropelled.Various types of lighters for various uses are easily formed, forexample, heavy equipment or crane lighters, pile driving rigs, lighterwharves, bridge pontoons. The above devices may be made sinkable orunsinkable or may be made to sink or rise as required. They may be usedto form a mobile floating helicopter pad. They may be cut down to formassault boats, barge supply boats or other self-propelled craft. Theymay be heavily armed with machine guns, mortars, rockets and fieldartillery and tanks. They can be used as unsinkable gun-boats on rivers.As they are demountable they are transportable from one water way toanother.

If the containers are always loaded to float in water, a ship carryingsuch cargo may not sink as easily or as fast.

Deck cargo clipped together in batches could be lowered over the side orfloated off. This would provide plenty of shelter for ship-wreckedpersonnel.

Troopship accommodation could be increased by empty containers on thedeck.

Thus it is seen that the container of the invention While havinginnumerable advantages from a purely storage point-of-view has alsoinnumerable other uses to which they may be put.

What we claim is:

1. A stores container having joining means along its corner edges, eachjoining means comprising a beveled corner edge of the container with tworows of spaced under and over loops thereon, each row being adjacent aside of the container with the plane of said side running through thecenter line of the adjacent row of under and over loops and adapated forengagement in mating relationship with like under and over loops on asimilar container.

2. A stores container as claimed in claim I joined to a similarcontainer wherein a side of one container is contiguous with a side ofthe other container and the under and over loops adjacent the twocontiguous sides are in mating relationship and pins are inserted downthe mated loops.

3. A stores container as claimed in claim 2 wherein a plurality ofsimilar containers are similarly joined thereto.

4. A stores container as claimed in claim 1 wherein at the joining edgesbetween containers the two unmated rows of under and over loops arejoined by reinforcing strips which have loops to mate with the unmatedrows of under and over loops and are retained in the mated position bypins inserted in the under and over loops.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,228,760 6/1917 Doble. 2,057,94210/1936 Fay. 2,521,279 9/1950 Becker 220-430 X 2,804,227 8/1957 Elfgren220-4 3,107,024 10/1963 Johnson 220 -1.S

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,124,420 2/1962 Germany.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 22097

